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Jeremiah 27-31
New American Standard Bible
Jeremiah 27-31
New American Standard Bible
The Nations to Submit to Nebuchadnezzar
27 In the beginning of the reign of [a](A)Zedekiah the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying— 2 this is what the Lord has said to me: “Make for yourself (B)restraints and (C)yokes and put them on your neck, 3 and send [b]word to the king of (D)Edom, the king of (E)Moab, the king of the sons of (F)Ammon, the king of (G)Tyre, and to the king of (H)Sidon [c]by the messengers who come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah. 4 Order them to go to their masters, saying, ‘This is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: “This is what you shall say to your masters: 5 ‘(I)I have made the earth, mankind, and the animals which are on the face of the earth (J)by My great power and by My outstretched arm, and I will (K)give it to the one who is [d]pleasing in My sight. 6 And now I (L)have handed all these lands over to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, (M)My servant, and I have also given him the (N)animals of the field to serve him. 7 (O)All the nations shall serve him and his son and his grandson (P)until the time of his own land comes; then (Q)many nations and great kings will [e]make him their servant.
8 ‘And it will be that the nation or the kingdom which (R)will not serve him, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and will not put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation with the (S)sword, with famine, and with plague,’ declares the Lord, ‘until I have eliminated [f]it by his hand. 9 And as for you, (T)do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your [g]dreamers, your soothsayers, or your sorcerers who talk to you, saying, “You will not serve the king of Babylon.” 10 For they are prophesying a (U)lie to you in order to (V)remove you far from your land; and I will drive you away and you will perish. 11 But the nation that will (W)bring its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will (X)let remain on its land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and they will cultivate it and live in it.’”’”
12 I spoke words like all these to (Y)Zedekiah king of Judah, saying, “Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him and his people, and live! 13 Why should you (Z)die, you and your people, by the sword, famine, and plague, as the Lord has spoken to the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon? 14 So (AA)do not listen to the words of the prophets who talk to you, saying, ‘You will not serve the king of Babylon,’ for they are prophesying a (AB)lie to you; 15 for (AC)I have not sent them,” declares the Lord, “but they are (AD)prophesying falsely in My name, so that I will (AE)drive you away and that you will perish, (AF)you and the prophets who prophesy to you.”
16 Then I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying: “This is what the Lord says: ‘Do not listen to the words of your prophets who prophesy to you, saying, “Behold, the (AG)vessels of the Lord’s house will now shortly be brought back from Babylon”; for they are prophesying a (AH)lie to you. 17 Do not listen to them; serve the king of Babylon, and live! Why should this city (AI)become a place of ruins? 18 But (AJ)if they are prophets, and if the word of the Lord is with them, have them now (AK)plead with the Lord of armies that the vessels which are left in the house of the Lord and the house of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem do not go to Babylon. 19 For this is what the Lord of armies says concerning the (AL)pillars, concerning the [h]sea, concerning the kettle stands, and concerning the rest of the vessels that are left in this city, 20 which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take when he (AM)led into exile Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, from Jerusalem to Babylon, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem— 21 Yes, this is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel, says concerning the vessels that are left in the house of the Lord and in the house of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem: 22 “They will be (AN)brought to Babylon and will be there until the (AO)day I visit them,” declares the Lord. “Then I will (AP)bring them [i]back and restore them to this place.”’”
Hananiah’s False Prophecy
28 Now in the same year, (AQ)in the beginning of the reign of (AR)Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, in the fifth month, (AS)Hananiah the prophet the son of Azzur, who was from (AT)Gibeon, spoke to me at the house of the Lord in the sight of the priests and all the people, saying, 2 “(AU)This is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: ‘I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. 3 Within two years I am going to bring back to this place (AV)all the vessels of the Lord’s house, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took from this place and brought to Babylon. 4 I am (AW)also going to bring back to this place (AX)Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the (AY)exiles of Judah who went to Babylon,’ declares the Lord, ‘for I will break the (AZ)yoke of the king of Babylon.’”
5 Then Jeremiah the prophet spoke to the prophet Hananiah in the sight of the priests and in the sight of all the people who were standing at the (BA)house of the Lord, 6 and Jeremiah the prophet said, “(BB)Amen! May the Lord do so; may the Lord fulfill your words which you have prophesied, to bring back the vessels of the Lord’s house and all the exiles, from Babylon to this place. 7 Yet (BC)hear now this word which I am going to speak [j]so that you and all the people can hear it! 8 The prophets who were before me and before you from ancient times also (BD)prophesied against many lands and against great kingdoms regarding war, disaster, and plague. 9 As for the prophet who prophesies of peace, (BE)when the word of the prophet comes to pass, then that prophet will be known as one whom the Lord has truly sent.”
10 Then Hananiah the prophet took the (BF)yoke from the neck of Jeremiah the prophet and broke it. 11 Hananiah spoke in the sight of all the people, saying, “(BG)This is what the Lord says: ‘Even so within two full years I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all the nations.’” Then Jeremiah the prophet went his way.
12 Then the (BH)word of the Lord came to Jeremiah after Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke from the neck of Jeremiah the prophet, saying, 13 “Go and speak to Hananiah, saying, ‘This is what the Lord says: “You have broken the yokes of wood, but in their place you have made (BI)yokes of iron.” 14 For this is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: “I have put a (BJ)yoke of iron on the neck of all these nations, to serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they shall (BK)serve him. And (BL)I have also given him the animals of the field.”’” 15 Then Jeremiah the prophet said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen now, Hananiah: the Lord has not sent you, and (BM)you have made this people trust in a lie. 16 Therefore, this is what the Lord says: ‘(BN)Behold, I am going to [k]remove you from the face of the earth. This year you are going to (BO)die, because you (BP)spoke falsely against the Lord.’”
17 So Hananiah the prophet died in the same year, in the seventh month.
Message to the Exiles
29 Now these are the words of the (BQ)letter which Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the rest of the elders of the exile, the priests, the prophets, and all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. 2 (This was after King (BR)Jeconiah and the (BS)queen mother, the high officials, the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the metalworkers had departed from Jerusalem.) 3 The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan and Gemariah the son of (BT)Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, saying, 4 “This is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel, says to all the exiles whom I have (BU)sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 ‘(BV)Build houses and live in them; and plant gardens and eat their [l]produce. 6 Take (BW)wives and father sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may give birth to sons and daughters; and grow in numbers there and do not decrease. 7 (BX)Seek the [m]prosperity of the city where I have sent you into exile, and (BY)pray to the Lord in its behalf; for [n]in its [o]prosperity will be your [p]prosperity.’ 8 For this is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: ‘Do not let your (BZ)prophets who are in your midst or your diviners (CA)deceive you, and do not listen to their interpretations of (CB)your dreams which you dream. 9 For they (CC)prophesy falsely to you in My name; (CD)I have not sent them,’ declares the Lord.
10 “For this is what the Lord says: ‘When (CE)seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My (CF)good word to you, to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the (CG)plans that I [q]have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for [r](CH)prosperity and not for disaster, to give you a future and a (CI)hope. 12 Then you will (CJ)call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will (CK)listen to you. 13 And you will (CL)seek Me and find Me when you (CM)search for Me with all your heart. 14 I will let Myself be (CN)found by you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will (CO)restore your fortunes and (CP)gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will (CQ)bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.’
15 “Because you have said, ‘The Lord has raised up (CR)prophets for us in Babylon’— 16 for this is what the Lord says concerning the king who sits on the throne of David, and concerning all the people who live in this city, your brothers who did (CS)not go with you into exile— 17 this is what the Lord of armies says: ‘Behold, I am sending upon them the (CT)sword, famine, and plague; and I will make them like (CU)rotten figs that cannot be eaten due to rottenness. 18 I will pursue them with the sword, with famine, and with plague; and I will (CV)make them an object of terror to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a (CW)curse and an object of horror and [s](CX)hissing, and a disgrace among all the nations where I have driven them, 19 because they have (CY)not listened to My words,’ declares the Lord, ‘which I sent to them again and again by (CZ)My servants the prophets; but you did not listen,’ declares the Lord. 20 ‘You, therefore, hear the word of the Lord, all you exiles, whom I have (DA)sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon.
21 ‘This is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah and concerning Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who are (DB)prophesying to you falsely in My name: “Behold, I am going to hand them over to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will kill them before your eyes. 22 Because of them a (DC)curse will be [t]used by all the exiles from Judah who are in Babylon, saying, ‘May the Lord make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon (DD)roasted in the fire,’ 23 because they (DE)acted [u]foolishly in Israel, and (DF)committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives, and falsely (DG)spoke words in My name which I did not command them. I am He who (DH)knows, and a witness,” declares the Lord.’”
24 Now you shall speak to (DI)Shemaiah the Nehelamite, saying, 25 “This is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: ‘Because you have sent (DJ)letters in your own name to all the people who are in Jerusalem, and to (DK)the priest Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, and to all the priests, saying, 26 “The Lord has made you priest instead of Jehoiada the priest, to be the [v](DL)overseer of the house of the Lord for every (DM)insane person who (DN)prophesies, to (DO)put him in the stocks and in the iron collar. 27 So now, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of (DP)Anathoth who prophesies to you, 28 seeing that he has (DQ)sent word to us in Babylon, saying, ‘[w]The exile will be (DR)long; (DS)build houses and live in them, and plant gardens and eat their [x]produce’?”’”
29 Now (DT)Zephaniah the priest read this letter [y]to Jeremiah the prophet. 30 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, 31 “Send word to (DU)all the exiles, saying, ‘This is what the Lord says concerning (DV)Shemaiah the Nehelamite: “Because Shemaiah has (DW)prophesied to you, although I did not send him, and he has (DX)made you trust in a lie,” 32 therefore this is what the Lord says: “Behold, I am going to (DY)punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his [z]descendants; he will (DZ)not have anyone living among this people, (EA)and he will not see the good that I am going to do for My people,” declares the Lord, “because he has (EB)spoken falsely against the Lord.”’”
Liberation from Captivity Promised
30 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, 2 “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: ‘(EC)Write all the words which I have spoken to you in a book. 3 For behold, (ED)days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will (EE)restore the fortunes of My people (EF)Israel and Judah.’ The Lord says, ‘I will also (EG)bring them back to the land that I gave to their forefathers, and they shall take possession of it.’”
4 Now these are the words which the Lord spoke concerning Israel and Judah:
5 “For this is what the Lord says:
‘[aa]I have heard a sound of (EH)terror,
Of fear, and there is no peace.
6 Ask now, and see
If a male can give birth.
Why do I see every man
With his hands on his waist, (EI)as a woman in childbirth?
And why have all faces turned pale?
7 Woe, for that (EJ)day is great,
There is (EK)none like it;
And it is the time of Jacob’s (EL)distress,
Yet he will be (EM)saved from it.
8 ‘It shall come about on that day,’ declares the Lord of armies, ‘that I will (EN)break his yoke from [ab]their necks and will tear to pieces [ac]their (EO)restraints; and strangers will no longer (EP)make [ad]them their slaves. 9 But they shall serve the Lord their God and (EQ)David their king, whom I will raise up for them.
10 And (ER)do not fear, Jacob My servant,’ declares the Lord,
‘And do not be dismayed, Israel;
For behold, I am going to save you (ES)from far away,
And your [ae]descendants from the land of their captivity.
And Jacob will return and be (ET)at peace, without anxiety,
And (EU)no one will make him afraid.
11 For (EV)I am with you,’ declares the Lord, ‘to save you;
For I will completely (EW)destroy all the nations where I have scattered you,
Only I will (EX)not destroy you completely.
But I will (EY)discipline you fairly
And will by no means leave you unpunished.’
12 “For this is what the Lord says:
‘Your broken limb is irreparable,
And your (EZ)wound is incurable.
13 There is no one to plead your cause;
No healing for your sore,
(FA)No recovery for you.
14 All your (FB)lovers have forgotten you,
They do not seek you;
For I have (FC)wounded you with the wound of an enemy,
With the (FD)punishment of a (FE)cruel one,
Because your (FF)wrongdoing is great,
And your (FG)sins are numerous.
15 Why do you cry out over your injury?
Your pain is incurable.
Because your wrongdoing is great
And your sins are numerous,
I have done these things to you.
16 Therefore all who (FH)devour you will be devoured;
And all your adversaries, every one of them, (FI)will go into captivity;
And those who plunder you will become plunder,
And all who plunder you I will turn into plunder.
17 For I will [af]restore you to [ag](FJ)health
And I will heal you of your wounds,’ declares the Lord,
‘Because they have called you an (FK)outcast, saying:
“It is Zion; no one [ah]cares for her.”’
Restoration of Jacob
18 “This is what the Lord says:
‘Behold, I will (FL)restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob
And (FM)have compassion on his dwellings;
And the (FN)city will be rebuilt on its ruins,
And the (FO)palace will stand on its rightful place.
19 From them will come a (FP)song of thanksgiving
And the voices of those who [ai](FQ)celebrate;
And I will (FR)multiply them and they will not decrease;
I will (FS)honor them and they will not be insignificant.
20 [aj]Their children also will be as before,
And [ak]their congregation will be (FT)established before Me;
And I will punish all [al]their oppressors.
21 [am]Their (FU)leader shall be one of them,
And [an]their ruler will come out from [ao]their midst;
And I will (FV)bring him near and he shall approach Me;
For [ap]who would dare to risk his life to (FW)approach Me?’ declares the Lord.
22 ‘You shall be (FX)My people,
And I will be your God.’”
23 Behold, the (FY)tempest of the Lord!
Wrath has gone forth,
A [aq]sweeping tempest;
It will whirl upon the head of the wicked.
24 The (FZ)fierce anger of the Lord will not turn back
Until He has performed and accomplished
The intent of His heart.
In the (GA)latter days you will understand this.
Israel’s Mourning Turned to Joy
31 “At that time,” declares the Lord, “I will be the (GB)God of all the (GC)families of Israel, and they shall be My people.”
2 This is what the Lord says:
“The people who survived the sword
(GD)Found grace in the wilderness—
Israel, when it went to (GE)find its rest.”
3 The Lord appeared to [ar]him [as]long ago, saying,
“I have (GF)loved you with an everlasting love;
Therefore I have drawn you out with (GG)kindness.
4 (GH)I will build you again and you will be rebuilt,
Virgin of Israel!
You will [at]take up your (GI)tambourines again,
And go out to the dances of the (GJ)revelers.
5 Again you will (GK)plant vineyards
On the [au]hills of Samaria;
The planters will plant
And will [av]enjoy the fruit.
6 For there will be a day when watchmen
On the hills of Ephraim call out,
‘Arise, and (GL)let’s go up to Zion,
To the Lord our God.’”
7 For this is what the Lord says:
“(GM)Sing aloud with joy for Jacob,
And be joyful with the [aw](GN)chief of the nations;
Proclaim, give praise, and say,
‘Lord, (GO)save Your people,
The (GP)remnant of Israel!’
8 Behold, I am (GQ)bringing them from the north country,
And I will (GR)gather them from the remote parts of the earth,
Among them those who are (GS)blind and those who (GT)limp,
The pregnant woman and she who is in labor, together;
They will return here as a great assembly.
9 (GU)They will come with weeping,
And by pleading I will bring them;
I will lead them by (GV)streams of waters,
On a straight path on which they will (GW)not stumble;
For I am a (GX)father to Israel,
And Ephraim is (GY)My firstborn.”
10 Hear the word of the Lord, you nations,
And declare it in the (GZ)coastlands far away,
And say, “He who scattered Israel will (HA)gather him,
And He will keep him as a (HB)shepherd keeps his flock.”
11 For the Lord has (HC)ransomed Jacob
And redeemed him from the hand of him who was (HD)stronger than he.
12 “They will (HE)come and shout for joy on the (HF)height of Zion,
And they will be (HG)radiant over the [ax]bounty of the Lord—
Over the (HH)grain, the new wine, the oil,
And over the young of the (HI)flock and the herd.
And their life will be like a (HJ)watered garden,
And they will (HK)never languish again.
13 Then the virgin will rejoice in the (HL)dance,
And the young men and the old together;
For I will (HM)turn their mourning into joy
And comfort them, and give them (HN)joy for their sorrow.
14 I will refresh the soul of the priests with [ay]abundance,
And My people will be (HO)satisfied with My goodness,” declares the Lord.
15 This is what the Lord says:
“(HP)A voice is heard in (HQ)Ramah,
Lamenting and bitter weeping.
Rachel is weeping for her children;
She (HR)refuses to be comforted for her children,
Because (HS)they are no more.”
16 This is what the Lord says:
“(HT)Restrain your voice from weeping
And your eyes from tears;
For your (HU)work will be rewarded,” declares the Lord,
“And they will (HV)return from the land of the enemy.
17 There is (HW)hope for your future,” declares the Lord,
“And your children will return to their own territory.
18 I have certainly heard Ephraim (HX)grieving,
‘You have (HY)disciplined me, and I was corrected,
Like an untrained (HZ)calf;
(IA)Bring me back that I may be restored,
For You are the Lord my God.
19 For after I turned back, I (IB)repented;
And after I was instructed, I [az](IC)slapped my thigh;
I was (ID)ashamed and also humiliated
Because I bore the shame of my youth.’
20 Is (IE)Ephraim My dear son?
Is he a delightful child?
Indeed, as often as I have spoken against him,
I certainly still remember him;
Therefore My [ba](IF)heart yearns for him;
I will certainly (IG)have mercy on him,” declares the Lord.
21 “Set up roadmarks for yourself,
Place guideposts for yourself;
(IH)Direct your [bb]mind to the highway,
The way by which you went.
(II)Return, O virgin of Israel,
Return to these your cities.
22 How long will you waver,
You (IJ)rebellious daughter?
For the Lord has created a new thing on the earth:
A woman will shelter a man.”
23 This is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: “Once again they will speak this word in the land of Judah and in its cities when I (IK)restore their fortunes,
24 Judah and all its cities will (IN)live together in it, the farmers and those who travel with flocks. 25 (IO)For I give plenty of water to the weary ones, and [bc]refresh everyone who languishes.” 26 At this I (IP)awoke and looked, and my (IQ)sleep had been pleasant to me.
A New Covenant
27 “Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will (IR)sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of mankind and the seed of animals. 28 And just as I have (IS)watched over them to (IT)uproot them, tear them down, ruin, destroy, and bring disaster on them, so I will watch over them to (IU)build and to plant them,” declares the Lord.
29 “In those days they will no longer say,
‘(IV)The fathers have eaten sour grapes,
[bd]But it is the children’s teeth that have become blunt.’
30 But (IW)everyone will die for his own wrongdoing; each person who eats the sour grapes, his own teeth will become blunt.
31 “(IX)Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a (IY)new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the (IZ)covenant which I made with their fathers on the day I (JA)took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My (JB)covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord. 33 “For (JC)this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord: “(JD)I will put My law within them and write it on their heart; and (JE)I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 They will (JF)not teach again, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they will all (JG)know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the Lord, “for I will (JH)forgive their wrongdoing, and their (JI)sin I will no longer remember.”
35 This is what the Lord says,
He who (JJ)gives the sun for light by day
And the [be]fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night,
Who (JK)stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—
(JL)The Lord of armies is His name:
36 “(JM)If [bf]this fixed order departs
From Me,” declares the Lord,
“Then the descendants of Israel also will (JN)cease
To be a nation before Me [bg]forever.”
37 This is what the Lord says:
“(JO)If the heavens above can be measured
And the foundations of the earth searched out below,
Then I will also (JP)reject all the descendants of Israel
For everything that they have done,” declares the Lord.
38 “Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when the (JQ)city will be rebuilt for the Lord from the (JR)Tower of Hananel to the (JS)Corner Gate. 39 The (JT)measuring line will go out farther straight ahead, to the hill Gareb; then it will turn to Goah. 40 And (JU)the entire valley of the dead bodies and of the ashes, and all the fields as far as the brook (JV)Kidron to the corner of the (JW)Horse Gate toward the east, shall be (JX)holy to the Lord; it will not be uprooted or overthrown ever again.”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 27:1 Many mss Jehoiakim
- Jeremiah 27:3 Lit them
- Jeremiah 27:3 Lit by the hand of
- Jeremiah 27:5 Or upright
- Jeremiah 27:7 Or enslave him
- Jeremiah 27:8 Lit them
- Jeremiah 27:9 Lit dreams
- Jeremiah 27:19 I.e., the bronze basin or laver from the temple
- Jeremiah 27:22 Lit up
- Jeremiah 28:7 Lit in your ears and the ears of...people
- Jeremiah 28:16 Lit send
- Jeremiah 29:5 Lit fruit
- Jeremiah 29:7 Or peace
- Jeremiah 29:7 Or your prosperity will depend on its
- Jeremiah 29:7 Or peace
- Jeremiah 29:7 Or peace
- Jeremiah 29:11 Lit am planning
- Jeremiah 29:11 Or salvation
- Jeremiah 29:18 Or whistling
- Jeremiah 29:22 Lit taken
- Jeremiah 29:23 Or sacrilegiously
- Jeremiah 29:26 Lit overseers
- Jeremiah 29:28 Lit It
- Jeremiah 29:28 Lit fruit
- Jeremiah 29:29 Lit in the ears of
- Jeremiah 29:32 Lit seed
- Jeremiah 30:5 Lit We
- Jeremiah 30:8 As in LXX; MT your neck
- Jeremiah 30:8 As in LXX; MT your
- Jeremiah 30:8 Lit him their slave
- Jeremiah 30:10 Lit seed
- Jeremiah 30:17 Lit cause to go up
- Jeremiah 30:17 Or healing
- Jeremiah 30:17 Lit is seeking
- Jeremiah 30:19 Or dance
- Jeremiah 30:20 Lit His
- Jeremiah 30:20 Lit his
- Jeremiah 30:20 Lit his
- Jeremiah 30:21 Lit his
- Jeremiah 30:21 Lit his
- Jeremiah 30:21 Lit his
- Jeremiah 30:21 Lit who is he that gives his heart in pledge
- Jeremiah 30:23 Or raging
- Jeremiah 31:3 Lit me
- Jeremiah 31:3 Or from far away
- Jeremiah 31:4 Lit adorn yourself with
- Jeremiah 31:5 Or mountains
- Jeremiah 31:5 Lit defile
- Jeremiah 31:7 Lit head
- Jeremiah 31:12 Lit goodness
- Jeremiah 31:14 Lit fatness
- Jeremiah 31:19 I.e., in regret
- Jeremiah 31:20 Lit inward parts
- Jeremiah 31:21 Lit heart
- Jeremiah 31:25 Lit fill
- Jeremiah 31:29 I.e., the children suffer for the fathers’ sins
- Jeremiah 31:35 Lit statutes
- Jeremiah 31:36 Lit these statutes
- Jeremiah 31:36 Lit all the days
Jeremiah 27-31
New International Version
Jeremiah 27-31
New International Version
Judah to Serve Nebuchadnezzar
27 Early in the reign of Zedekiah[a](A) son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 This is what the Lord said to me: “Make a yoke(B) out of straps and crossbars and put it on your neck. 3 Then send(C) word to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon,(D) Tyre and Sidon(E) through the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah. 4 Give them a message for their masters and say, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Tell this to your masters: 5 With my great power and outstretched arm(F) I made(G) the earth and its people and the animals(H) that are on it, and I give(I) it to anyone I please. 6 Now I will give all your countries into the hands of my servant(J) Nebuchadnezzar(K) king of Babylon; I will make even the wild animals subject to him.(L) 7 All nations will serve(M) him and his son and his grandson until the time(N) for his land comes; then many nations and great kings will subjugate(O) him.
8 “‘“If, however, any nation or kingdom will not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon or bow its neck under his yoke, I will punish(P) that nation with the sword,(Q) famine(R) and plague,(S) declares the Lord, until I destroy it by his hand. 9 So do not listen to your prophets,(T) your diviners,(U) your interpreters of dreams,(V) your mediums(W) or your sorcerers(X) who tell you, ‘You will not serve(Y) the king of Babylon.’ 10 They prophesy lies(Z) to you that will only serve to remove(AA) you far from your lands; I will banish you and you will perish. 11 But if any nation will bow its neck under the yoke(AB) of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will let that nation remain in its own land to till it and to live(AC) there, declares the Lord.”’”
12 I gave the same message to Zedekiah king of Judah. I said, “Bow your neck under the yoke(AD) of the king of Babylon; serve him and his people, and you will live.(AE) 13 Why will you and your people die(AF) by the sword, famine and plague(AG) with which the Lord has threatened any nation that will not serve the king of Babylon? 14 Do not listen(AH) to the words of the prophets(AI) who say to you, ‘You will not serve the king of Babylon,’ for they are prophesying lies(AJ) to you. 15 ‘I have not sent(AK) them,’ declares the Lord. ‘They are prophesying lies in my name.(AL) Therefore, I will banish you and you will perish,(AM) both you and the prophets who prophesy to you.’”
16 Then I said to the priests and all these people, “This is what the Lord says: Do not listen to the prophets who say, ‘Very soon now the articles(AN) from the Lord’s house will be brought back from Babylon.’ They are prophesying lies to you. 17 Do not listen(AO) to them. Serve the king of Babylon, and you will live.(AP) Why should this city become a ruin? 18 If they are prophets and have the word of the Lord, let them plead(AQ) with the Lord Almighty that the articles remaining in the house of the Lord and in the palace of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem not be taken to Babylon. 19 For this is what the Lord Almighty says about the pillars, the bronze Sea,(AR) the movable stands and the other articles(AS) that are left in this city, 20 which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take away when he carried(AT) Jehoiachin[b](AU) son of Jehoiakim king of Judah into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, along with all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem— 21 yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says about the things that are left in the house of the Lord and in the palace of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem: 22 ‘They will be taken(AV) to Babylon and there they will remain until the day(AW) I come for them,’ declares the Lord. ‘Then I will bring(AX) them back and restore them to this place.’”
The False Prophet Hananiah
28 In the fifth month of that same year, the fourth year, early in the reign of Zedekiah(AY) king of Judah, the prophet Hananiah son of Azzur, who was from Gibeon,(AZ) said to me in the house of the Lord in the presence of the priests and all the people: 2 “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘I will break the yoke(BA) of the king of Babylon. 3 Within two years I will bring back to this place all the articles(BB) of the Lord’s house that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon removed from here and took to Babylon. 4 I will also bring back to this place Jehoiachin[c](BC) son of Jehoiakim king of Judah and all the other exiles from Judah who went to Babylon,’ declares the Lord, ‘for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’”(BD)
5 Then the prophet Jeremiah replied to the prophet Hananiah before the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the Lord. 6 He said, “Amen! May the Lord do so! May the Lord fulfill the words you have prophesied by bringing the articles of the Lord’s house and all the exiles back to this place from Babylon.(BE) 7 Nevertheless, listen to what I have to say in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people: 8 From early times the prophets who preceded you and me have prophesied war, disaster and plague(BF) against many countries and great kingdoms. 9 But the prophet who prophesies peace will be recognized as one truly sent by the Lord only if his prediction comes true.(BG)”
10 Then the prophet Hananiah took the yoke(BH) off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah and broke it, 11 and he said(BI) before all the people, “This is what the Lord says: ‘In the same way I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon off the neck of all the nations within two years.’” At this, the prophet Jeremiah went on his way.
12 After the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 13 “Go and tell Hananiah, ‘This is what the Lord says: You have broken a wooden yoke, but in its place you will get a yoke of iron. 14 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I will put an iron yoke(BJ) on the necks of all these nations to make them serve(BK) Nebuchadnezzar(BL) king of Babylon, and they will serve him. I will even give him control over the wild animals.(BM)’”
15 Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen, Hananiah! The Lord has not sent(BN) you, yet you have persuaded this nation to trust in lies.(BO) 16 Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I am about to remove you from the face of the earth.(BP) This very year you are going to die,(BQ) because you have preached rebellion(BR) against the Lord.’”
17 In the seventh month of that same year, Hananiah the prophet died.(BS)
A Letter to the Exiles
29 This is the text of the letter(BT) that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets and all the other people Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.(BU) 2 (This was after King Jehoiachin[d](BV) and the queen mother,(BW) the court officials and the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the skilled workers and the artisans had gone into exile from Jerusalem.) 3 He entrusted the letter to Elasah son of Shaphan and to Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. It said:
4 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried(BX) into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 “Build(BY) houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6 Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease.(BZ) 7 Also, seek(CA) the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray(CB) to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” 8 Yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets(CC) and diviners among you deceive(CD) you. Do not listen to the dreams(CE) you encourage them to have.(CF) 9 They are prophesying lies(CG) to you in my name. I have not sent(CH) them,” declares the Lord.
10 This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years(CI) are completed for Babylon, I will come to you(CJ) and fulfill my good promise(CK) to bring you back(CL) to this place. 11 For I know the plans(CM) I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper(CN) you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.(CO) 12 Then you will call(CP) on me and come and pray(CQ) to me, and I will listen(CR) to you. 13 You will seek(CS) me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.(CT) 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back(CU) from captivity.[e] I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”(CV)
15 You may say, “The Lord has raised up prophets for us in Babylon,” 16 but this is what the Lord says about the king who sits on David’s throne and all the people who remain in this city, your fellow citizens who did not go with you into exile— 17 yes, this is what the Lord Almighty says: “I will send the sword, famine and plague(CW) against them and I will make them like figs(CX) that are so bad they cannot be eaten. 18 I will pursue them with the sword, famine and plague and will make them abhorrent(CY) to all the kingdoms of the earth, a curse[f](CZ) and an object of horror,(DA) of scorn(DB) and reproach, among all the nations where I drive them. 19 For they have not listened to my words,”(DC) declares the Lord, “words that I sent to them again and again(DD) by my servants the prophets.(DE) And you exiles have not listened either,” declares the Lord.
20 Therefore, hear the word of the Lord, all you exiles whom I have sent(DF) away from Jerusalem to Babylon. 21 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says about Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying lies(DG) to you in my name: “I will deliver them into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will put them to death before your very eyes. 22 Because of them, all the exiles from Judah who are in Babylon will use this curse: ‘May the Lord treat you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon burned(DH) in the fire.’ 23 For they have done outrageous things in Israel; they have committed adultery(DI) with their neighbors’ wives, and in my name they have uttered lies—which I did not authorize. I know(DJ) it and am a witness(DK) to it,” declares the Lord.
Message to Shemaiah
24 Tell Shemaiah the Nehelamite, 25 “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: You sent letters in your own name to all the people in Jerusalem, to the priest Zephaniah(DL) son of Maaseiah, and to all the other priests. You said to Zephaniah, 26 ‘The Lord has appointed you priest in place of Jehoiada to be in charge of the house of the Lord; you should put any maniac(DM) who acts like a prophet into the stocks(DN) and neck-irons. 27 So why have you not reprimanded Jeremiah from Anathoth, who poses as a prophet among you? 28 He has sent this message(DO) to us in Babylon: It will be a long time.(DP) Therefore build(DQ) houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce.’”
29 Zephaniah(DR) the priest, however, read the letter to Jeremiah the prophet. 30 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 31 “Send this message to all the exiles: ‘This is what the Lord says about Shemaiah(DS) the Nehelamite: Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, even though I did not send(DT) him, and has persuaded you to trust in lies, 32 this is what the Lord says: I will surely punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his descendants.(DU) He will have no one left among this people, nor will he see the good(DV) things I will do for my people, declares the Lord, because he has preached rebellion(DW) against me.’”
Restoration of Israel
30 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Write(DX) in a book all the words I have spoken to you. 3 The days(DY) are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will bring(DZ) my people Israel and Judah back from captivity[g] and restore(EA) them to the land I gave their ancestors to possess,’ says the Lord.”
4 These are the words the Lord spoke concerning Israel and Judah: 5 “This is what the Lord says:
“‘Cries of fear(EB) are heard—
terror, not peace.
6 Ask and see:
Can a man bear children?
Then why do I see every strong man
with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor,(EC)
every face turned deathly pale?(ED)
7 How awful that day(EE) will be!
No other will be like it.
It will be a time of trouble(EF) for Jacob,
but he will be saved(EG) out of it.
8 “‘In that day,’ declares the Lord Almighty,
‘I will break the yoke(EH) off their necks
and will tear off their bonds;(EI)
no longer will foreigners enslave them.(EJ)
9 Instead, they will serve the Lord their God
and David(EK) their king,(EL)
whom I will raise up for them.
10 “‘So do not be afraid,(EM) Jacob my servant;(EN)
do not be dismayed, Israel,’
declares the Lord.
‘I will surely save(EO) you out of a distant place,
your descendants from the land of their exile.
Jacob will again have peace and security,(EP)
and no one will make him afraid.(EQ)
11 I am with you(ER) and will save you,’
declares the Lord.
‘Though I completely destroy all the nations
among which I scatter you,
I will not completely destroy(ES) you.
I will discipline(ET) you but only in due measure;
I will not let you go entirely unpunished.’(EU)
12 “This is what the Lord says:
“‘Your wound(EV) is incurable,
your injury beyond healing.(EW)
13 There is no one to plead your cause,(EX)
no remedy for your sore,
no healing(EY) for you.
14 All your allies(EZ) have forgotten you;
they care nothing for you.
I have struck you as an enemy(FA) would
and punished you as would the cruel,(FB)
because your guilt is so great
and your sins(FC) so many.
15 Why do you cry out over your wound,
your pain that has no cure?(FD)
Because of your great guilt and many sins
I have done these things to you.(FE)
16 “‘But all who devour(FF) you will be devoured;
all your enemies will go into exile.(FG)
Those who plunder(FH) you will be plundered;
all who make spoil of you I will despoil.
17 But I will restore you to health
and heal(FI) your wounds,’
declares the Lord,
‘because you are called an outcast,(FJ)
Zion for whom no one cares.’(FK)
18 “This is what the Lord says:
“‘I will restore the fortunes(FL) of Jacob’s tents(FM)
and have compassion(FN) on his dwellings;
the city will be rebuilt(FO) on her ruins,
and the palace will stand in its proper place.
19 From them will come songs(FP) of thanksgiving(FQ)
and the sound of rejoicing.(FR)
I will add to their numbers,(FS)
and they will not be decreased;
I will bring them honor,(FT)
and they will not be disdained.
20 Their children(FU) will be as in days of old,
and their community will be established(FV) before me;
I will punish(FW) all who oppress them.
21 Their leader(FX) will be one of their own;
their ruler will arise from among them.(FY)
I will bring him near(FZ) and he will come close to me—
for who is he who will devote himself
to be close to me?’
declares the Lord.
22 “‘So you will be my people,(GA)
and I will be your God.(GB)’”
23 See, the storm(GC) of the Lord
will burst out in wrath,
a driving wind swirling down
on the heads of the wicked.
24 The fierce anger(GD) of the Lord will not turn back(GE)
until he fully accomplishes
the purposes of his heart.
In days to come
you will understand(GF) this.
31 “At that time,” declares the Lord, “I will be the God(GG) of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people.”
2 This is what the Lord says:
“The people who survive the sword
will find favor(GH) in the wilderness;
I will come to give rest(GI) to Israel.”
3 The Lord appeared to us in the past,[h] saying:
“I have loved(GJ) you with an everlasting love;
I have drawn(GK) you with unfailing kindness.
4 I will build you up again,
and you, Virgin(GL) Israel, will be rebuilt.(GM)
Again you will take up your timbrels(GN)
and go out to dance(GO) with the joyful.(GP)
5 Again you will plant(GQ) vineyards
on the hills of Samaria;(GR)
the farmers will plant them
and enjoy their fruit.(GS)
6 There will be a day when watchmen(GT) cry out
on the hills of Ephraim,
‘Come, let us go up to Zion,
to the Lord our God.’”(GU)
7 This is what the Lord says:
“Sing(GV) with joy for Jacob;
shout for the foremost(GW) of the nations.
Make your praises heard, and say,
‘Lord, save(GX) your people,
the remnant(GY) of Israel.’
8 See, I will bring them from the land of the north(GZ)
and gather(HA) them from the ends of the earth.
Among them will be the blind(HB) and the lame,(HC)
expectant mothers and women in labor;
a great throng will return.
9 They will come with weeping;(HD)
they will pray as I bring them back.
I will lead(HE) them beside streams of water(HF)
on a level(HG) path where they will not stumble,
because I am Israel’s father,(HH)
and Ephraim is my firstborn son.
10 “Hear the word of the Lord, you nations;
proclaim it in distant coastlands:(HI)
‘He who scattered(HJ) Israel will gather(HK) them
and will watch over his flock like a shepherd.’(HL)
11 For the Lord will deliver Jacob
and redeem(HM) them from the hand of those stronger(HN) than they.
12 They will come and shout for joy(HO) on the heights(HP) of Zion;
they will rejoice in the bounty(HQ) of the Lord—
the grain, the new wine and the olive oil,(HR)
the young of the flocks(HS) and herds.
They will be like a well-watered garden,(HT)
and they will sorrow(HU) no more.
13 Then young women will dance and be glad,
young men and old as well.
I will turn their mourning(HV) into gladness;
I will give them comfort(HW) and joy(HX) instead of sorrow.
14 I will satisfy(HY) the priests(HZ) with abundance,
and my people will be filled with my bounty,(IA)”
declares the Lord.
15 This is what the Lord says:
“A voice is heard in Ramah,(IB)
mourning and great weeping,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,(IC)
because they are no more.”(ID)
16 This is what the Lord says:
“Restrain your voice from weeping
and your eyes from tears,(IE)
for your work will be rewarded,(IF)”
declares the Lord.
“They will return(IG) from the land of the enemy.
17 So there is hope(IH) for your descendants,”
declares the Lord.
“Your children(II) will return to their own land.
18 “I have surely heard Ephraim’s moaning:
‘You disciplined(IJ) me like an unruly calf,(IK)
and I have been disciplined.
Restore(IL) me, and I will return,
because you are the Lord my God.
19 After I strayed,(IM)
I repented;
after I came to understand,
I beat(IN) my breast.
I was ashamed(IO) and humiliated
because I bore the disgrace of my youth.’(IP)
20 Is not Ephraim my dear son,
the child(IQ) in whom I delight?
Though I often speak against him,
I still remember(IR) him.
Therefore my heart yearns for him;
I have great compassion(IS) for him,”
declares the Lord.
21 “Set up road signs;
put up guideposts.(IT)
Take note of the highway,(IU)
the road that you take.
Return,(IV) Virgin(IW) Israel,
return to your towns.
22 How long will you wander,(IX)
unfaithful(IY) Daughter Israel?
The Lord will create a new thing(IZ) on earth—
the woman will return to[i](JA) the man.”
23 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “When I bring them back from captivity,[j](JB) the people in the land of Judah and in its towns will once again use these words: ‘The Lord bless(JC) you, you prosperous city,(JD) you sacred mountain.’(JE) 24 People will live(JF) together in Judah and all its towns—farmers and those who move about with their flocks.(JG) 25 I will refresh the weary(JH) and satisfy the faint.”(JI)
26 At this I awoke(JJ) and looked around. My sleep had been pleasant to me.
27 “The days are coming,”(JK) declares the Lord, “when I will plant(JL) the kingdoms of Israel and Judah with the offspring of people and of animals. 28 Just as I watched(JM) over them to uproot(JN) and tear down, and to overthrow, destroy and bring disaster,(JO) so I will watch over them to build and to plant,”(JP) declares the Lord. 29 “In those days people will no longer say,
30 Instead, everyone will die for their own sin;(JS) whoever eats sour grapes—their own teeth will be set on edge.
31 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord,
“when I will make a new covenant(JT)
with the people of Israel
and with the people of Judah.
32 It will not be like the covenant(JU)
I made with their ancestors(JV)
when I took them by the hand
to lead them out of Egypt,(JW)
because they broke my covenant,
though I was a husband(JX) to[k] them,[l]”
declares the Lord.
33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel
after that time,” declares the Lord.
“I will put my law in their minds(JY)
and write it on their hearts.(JZ)
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.(KA)
34 No longer will they teach(KB) their neighbor,
or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know(KC) me,
from the least of them to the greatest,”
declares the Lord.
“For I will forgive(KD) their wickedness
and will remember their sins(KE) no more.”
35 This is what the Lord says,
he who appoints(KF) the sun
to shine by day,
who decrees the moon and stars
to shine by night,(KG)
who stirs up the sea(KH)
so that its waves roar(KI)—
the Lord Almighty is his name:(KJ)
36 “Only if these decrees(KK) vanish from my sight,”
declares the Lord,
“will Israel(KL) ever cease
being a nation before me.”
37 This is what the Lord says:
“Only if the heavens above can be measured(KM)
and the foundations of the earth below be searched out
will I reject(KN) all the descendants of Israel
because of all they have done,”
declares the Lord.
38 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when this city will be rebuilt(KO) for me from the Tower of Hananel(KP) to the Corner Gate.(KQ) 39 The measuring line(KR) will stretch from there straight to the hill of Gareb and then turn to Goah. 40 The whole valley(KS) where dead bodies(KT) and ashes are thrown, and all the terraces out to the Kidron Valley(KU) on the east as far as the corner of the Horse Gate,(KV) will be holy(KW) to the Lord. The city will never again be uprooted or demolished.”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 27:1 A few Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac (see also 27:3,12 and 28:1); most Hebrew manuscripts Jehoiakim (Most Septuagint manuscripts do not have this verse.)
- Jeremiah 27:20 Hebrew Jeconiah, a variant of Jehoiachin
- Jeremiah 28:4 Hebrew Jeconiah, a variant of Jehoiachin
- Jeremiah 29:2 Hebrew Jeconiah, a variant of Jehoiachin
- Jeremiah 29:14 Or will restore your fortunes
- Jeremiah 29:18 That is, their names will be used in cursing (see verse 22); or, others will see that they are cursed.
- Jeremiah 30:3 Or will restore the fortunes of my people Israel and Judah
- Jeremiah 31:3 Or Lord has appeared to us from afar
- Jeremiah 31:22 Or will protect
- Jeremiah 31:23 Or I restore their fortunes
- Jeremiah 31:32 Hebrew; Septuagint and Syriac / and I turned away from
- Jeremiah 31:32 Or was their master
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